Alpinist

* The Weight of Thin Air The hardest part of climbing in the Himalaya is not the technical challenge; it's the burden of the decisions up high. For young...See more » * The Weight of Thin Air The hardest part of climbing in the Himalaya is not the technical challenge; it's the burden of the decisions up high. For young climbers, that weight can sometimes be too much to bear. Andrej Stremfelj * A Short March to the Hindu Kush Afghanistan's Hindu Kush captured the fascination of a budding alpinist when he was only eight years old. Thirty years later, he would find himself embedded with the US Marine Corps in the land of his dreams. Ed Darack * Bird's Eye View No climber has had a greater influence on American climbing than the Bird. The view from the top, forty years on. Jim Bridwell * The End of the Beginning While the media glorified the hunt for numbers in the 1980s and 1990s, a quiet cadre of climbers searched for something more profound. The rewards of their quest are now beginning to show. Abbey Smith * Scattered Ashes When an alpinist's father dies before they can climb Fitz Roy together, he and a childhood friend look for healing on its summit; along the way they achieve one of Patagonia's most challenging routes in the fastest time and best style the range has ever seen. Topher Donahue and Tommy CaldwellSee less »